26 Lines
by LovelyHonour
Summary: Meet Isabella Swan: everything you have been convinced you don't want to be. Meet Edward Cullen: everything you have been convinced you do want to be. There's a couple of bitchy girls, a family who end up pulled together, some secret agents and even some love in the air. What kind of story would it be if we didn't throw a psychopath into the mix? (All human)
1. Arrows

"The thing is, there are good days and bad days."  
 _All The Bright Places_ by Jennifer Niven

* * *

 ** **1\. Arrows****

 **(Bella's POV)**

Kids have such a bullshit perception of the world. I'm not a violent person, but I really want to smack some reality into them to save them from future disappointment when life knocks them down. You tend to always assume that you won't be next; that you won't be one of the unlucky ones. However, we're all targets, and sooner or later, you'll take an arrow straight through your beating heart. You'll survive it, barely, but you'll never be the same again.  
I feel betrayed, in a way. As a child, I surrounded myself in deceptive fairytales, so much so that I felt as though I was in one—I would get a happy ending like all the pretty girls in the books do. But, so far, my life is looking a lot like a tragedy and nothing like romance.

Everything was perfect.

I had a close-knit family, sunny holidays, lots of love, laughter, hope... but everything came crashing down person by person, like dominoes, until I was all that was left. First my mother, my father, then my big brother, almost me, and finally my little sister.

I've tortured myself enough thinking about it and no one wants all the details, so I'll keep it as simple as I can. My mom died due to Postpartum bleeding eight years ago after giving birth to my little sister, Avery. This was around the time Jason, my big brother, was starting his training for the army. My lonely dad just couldn't cope with Avery and I alone.

That's when my aunt Sue moved in with us. Things settled for a while—a short while—until my dad got into an argument with her and he stormed out of the house, never to be seen again. His fishing boat was gone, so was he, and nobody could explain what had happened to him. The only evidence that he even existed are the things he left behind: photographs, clothes, his children.

Time meant nothing to me back then but I know it wasn't long after my dad went missing that Jason was deployed in Afghanistan. I was twelve when he left and oh, how I begged him to stay. I was petrified that something would happen to him.

 _I love you but I have no choice,_ he had told me.

We were notified five months later that he had gone M.I.A, leaving us assuming the worst since he still hasn't returned home.

In some sick chronological irony, it was my turn. Luckily for you I can't actually go into much detail about what happened to me because I can't remember most of it. I woke up in a dark room, feeling numb to the core, with a stranger hovering over me. He told me I had to remember his name; that he would come back for me. It seemed stupid that he would tell me his name was James, when he was about to become one of America's most wanted men. I don't know what he did to me. I can only ever wonder how I ended up with a permanent tattoo and 26 diagonal lines down my arms, thirteen on each. Those are just a couple of the scars that destiny's arrows left behind. The tattoo lies on the back of my neck and it simply reads: death is easy. To be perfectly honest, I don't have much to say about that because I have no idea what the purpose of it is. I don't really even know how I'm meant to interpret it. Is it a threat? Or, a truth? 13 is worldly known as an unlucky number, however I can't help but get the overwhelming feeling that there is some significance in a total of 26. It doesn't mean anything to me but perhaps it means something to _him_. Or, maybe, it means nothing and James is just a sadistic bastard.

Anyway, I was found in a ballet studio in Arizona—another of the many mysteries my family has evoked. No one knows how I got there, why I was in that specific place, nor do they know where James disappeared to. I like to imagine that he was driven insane by the weight of what he'd done and topped himself. But, realistically, he probably ran to protect himself, leaving only a frightening promise of his return.

To end the story that is my sad life, Avery was kidnapped as well. Only, she didn't live to tell the tale. Nine months ago, I went to collect her from her best friend's house after a play date, and I was greeted by the police rather than her friend's mom. All I know is that they were playing out back and that's the last time anyone saw her. A search mission was launched instantly, and all the parents were terrified to leave their children alone. A seemingly long two months later, her body was found buried by the border of Forks. Cause of death: blunt force trauma to the head.

It's suspicious.

It's confusing.

And I am very, _very_ alone.

Like any good cliché story, I don't really have any friends. School is legitimately hell on earth and if you want to disagree, try being accused of slaughtering your own family on a daily basis. They know what happened—as little as I do—but they just won't accept things as they are. That doesn't happen in high school because people spread rumours like wildfire. They'll believe anything you tell them, no matter how absurd it seems to those of us who are almost sane—which is very few in this chaotic world.


	2. Collision

"This is followed by laughter because we're in high school, which means we're predictable and almost anything is funny, especially if it's someone else's public humiliation."  
 _All The Bright Places_ by Jennifer Niven

* * *

 **2\. Collision**

 ** **(Bella's POV)****

Walking through the hallways of Forks High school is much the same as always—potentially deadly. Monday is usually the worst, presumably because everyone is in a terrible mood. Usually, that gets taken out on me. The bullying _has_ dulled down a bit over the years but it hasn't stopped completely due to the fact that the never-ending cycle of hell in my life has never stopped either.

Why don't I fight back? Because, when I tried, it got worse. I got slapped in the face by Tanya Denali just for asking her to leave me alone. Apparently that's _unacceptable_. This occurrence only caused more humiliation on my part, so the laughing got louder and their snide remarks became more frequent. Speaking to a teacher isn't an option. I'm scared to tell them. In a small, gossip-riddled town like mine, teachers aren't your friends. My last choice is telling a family member or a friend and since I don't have anything along those lines, it doesn't really count as a choice, does it? I have my aunt Sue, of course, but we aren't close. We don't really talk much and we are both quite happy just to get on with our lives that way. I know she loves me and she knows I love her, very much. That's all there is to our relationship.

I was so lost in thought about how horrible my life is that I managed not to notice the open locker in front of me and smacked face first into it—effectively making my life even worse.

I almost laughed at that thought.

 _How could my life get any worse?  
_  
Of course, because I'm me, the embarrassment did not end at that precise moment. Someone was standing on the other side of the locker door and it swung towards his face, making impact almost immediately. The sound echoed down the hallway.

"Oh my god! I'm sorry. I'm so, _so_ sorry. I didn't see the..." I trailed off, sounding like a complete moron.

The background laughter only grew in response to my feeble attempt at saying sorry. I swear, I had never been given a more deadly glare than the one he gave me. I cringed away, panicking when I realised I was standing before the infamous Riley Biers.

"Do you even have a fucking brain?" he growled in my face. "I swear to hell, you better stay out of my way before I do something I won't regret," he finished threateningly, slamming his locker shut and storming off, leaving me standing there on the verge of hysteria.

* * *

Walking down the stairway at the end of the school day is not a pleasant experience, which is why I always hang around for ten minutes to let the place clear before I even attempt to move anywhere. I'm sure you can relate to the terror of not being able to see the stairs through the sea of people whilst you're trying to get down them. Everyone is grabbing each other, shoving the person in front of them, and shouting insults at anyone who accidentally touches them.

When I did start moving slowly, I thought I heard some students coming out late, so I made for the stairs to get out of their way. As I swung around the corner of the second set, I crashed literally face first into someone's chest. It was extremely painful, considering the fact that he was running up the stairs and I was running down them.

"Holy shit, are you okay?" a vaguely familiar voice asked. "Hell, that hurt."

He was hunched over and gasping for air.

"I'm fine. Are _you_ okay? How many times in one day can that possibly hap—"

Our eyes locked.

We were mere inches apart and he had the loveliest green eyes I had ever seen in my life—not that I spent much time gazing into peoples' eyes. I was reduced to silence, my body stilled by the intensity of the moment. I couldn't force myself to talk, not even to blabber out something stupid like I usually would.

I had just collided with Edward Cullen.

Let me die right here on this stairway. Maybe they'll even put a plaque on the wall with my name on it, the pretence of a school who says it loves all of its students equally. It's funny how people only care about you after you die, and even then it often isn't enough for the rest to give a shit.

As he straightened up, I stepped backwards to distance myself from him.

"I'm fine, too," he said—his tone surprisingly soft—in response to my earlier question. I had forgotten I even asked him if he was okay because the words shot out of my mouth at a hundred miles per hour. He gathered himself quickly and added, "You have lovely eyes."

He shook his head, smiling, before walking up the stairs holding his side.

 _What just happened?_

* * *

When I arrived home, aunt Sue wasn't there, but there was a stack of letters sitting on the kitchen counter. One was addressed to me and I knew exactly what it was about before I even opened it. It would be the hospital, reminding me about my monthly check-up. They want to make sure I'm not going crazy or anything. This started when I took too many pills a few years back and they thought I had tried to kill myself.

I didn't, by the way.

They thought it was too coincidental to be an accident. I was younger and no one had ever explained it to me, so I didn't really understand the concept of only taking two paracetamol at a time when I had a sore head.

 _Miss Isabella Swan,_

 _I am writing to inform you that your monthly check-up at Forks Community Hospital is due this coming Friday at 4.30pm. Doctor Kate Ericson has transferred to Port Angeles to attend a four year long surgeon course, as you should be aware of already, so he will not be your Doctor as of now. Any future appointments will be taken by Doctor Carlisle Cullen. We hope to see you there._

 _Jenifer Coughlan_  
 _Forks Community Hospital_


	3. Pretty Girl

"Every book I read and movie I watch seems to give out the same message: high school is the worst experience you can ever have."  
 _Holding Up The Universe_ by Jennifer Niven

* * *

 **3\. Pretty Girl**

 ** **(Edward's POV)****

I go to school in a literal fucking hellhole. I guess the building itself is pretty decent but the snakes who slither around in it are another story altogether. The different cliques you see in films truly do become a disturbing reality when you start high school, and being forced into a set category is unavoidable. Don't get me wrong, I'd rather be generically popular than be like the girl currently about to be slaughtered by Riley Biers.

I think it's Isabella Swan in the firing line _again_.

With Emmett and Alice, two of my four siblings, by my side, we watched the scene unfold before us. Isabella was frozen in place, a very red and very angry Riley glaring down at her. It was unfathomable how someone could express so much distaste with just their eyes, yet Riley always seemed to go above and beyond. I know him well, I've had a few of my own hostile encounters with him, and I wouldn't wish it on anyone.

"Oh my god! I'm sorry. I'm so, _so_ sorry. I didn't see the—"

Her apology was futile and it seemingly only enraged Riley more. It was like he thought she had no right to even be looking at him, never mind talking to him. It infuriated me that she was just standing there taking it. I didn't even hear his reply because I was way too busy burning a hole into the back of Isabella's head.

 _Say something,_ I chanted internally, as if she would be able to hear me.

Then again, what did I know? I'd never been treated the way the kids here treat her. I had no idea what it felt like. I couldn't assume that she was choosing to let it happen to her. It could be that there's only so much you can take before you physically can't respond to it. Maybe they've knocked her so far down the ladder that she can't climb back up.

Even if she was considering a refute, Riley didn't give her a chance to utter a single word. He was gone, leaving fire-y footsteps of rage in his wake. Isabella clutched her books tightly to her chest, dropping her head for a few moments. I could only begin to imagine what was going through her mind right now. I let out a breath of air when she walked unsteadily forward, abandoning the hallway full of pathetic students. The laughter didn't stop, even when we could no longer see her.

* * *

I got a slip during last period telling me to go and speak with Mr. Banner in Sc4 at the end of the day. Rumour has it that I'm being moved to an advanced Biology class next week and Banger (a joke among us immature juniors) is my new teacher. I hate having to stay behind but I guess the bonus is that I won't get crushed in the mob descending the levels. It doesn't matter who you are, or how loved you may be, it's every man for himself on the stairway.

When I left my final class, I speedily made my way through the crowded hallways. People were throwing me smiles and pleasantries left, right, and centre. The attention gets annoying sometimes, especially when I'm trying to have a private conversation with one of my siblings and someone takes it upon themselves to join in.

I took the stairs two by two, in a rush to be done with this and get home to relax. I had a homework free night, a blessing my teachers had bestowed upon me today. It was abnormal to not have anything school-related to do, but I certainly wasn't complaining. Though, I bet the load will double if I get moved to this new class. It'll be mostly seniors present, with a few clever juniors, and I'd be forced to do whatever it takes to try to keep up.

Suddenly, something small and hard crashed into my chest, completely knocking the wind out of me. It took me a few seconds longer than it should have to realise I'd just collided with another human being.

"Holy shit, are you okay? Hell, that hurt."

I have pretty good pain tolerance but I couldn't even attempt to hide that the impact bloody hurt. What was she made of? Fucking stone? I hunched over, trying to catch my breath to no avail. Thick, mahogany hair swept across my face as she steadied herself. For some peculiar reason, the first thought that crossed my mind was that this girl smelled amazing.

"I'm fine. Are _you_ okay? How many times in one day can that possibly hap—" she stopped short when our eyes met for the first time.

A silent introduction to one another. It was indescribable, the way the air surrounding us changed within the space of about three seconds. What started out as an innocent apology quickly became something so much more. Our faces were much closer than they should be for two people who had just met. Her eyes were a lovely shade of brown, very dark but very enchanting. I was momentarily lost in them, until they widened in alarm.

She couldn't move away from me quick enough, bumping into the railing behind her.

I subconsciously began to look the unusual, disliked girl up and down. She was quite thin, perhaps overly so, and she was small. Her skin was paler than mine and I'd be willing to bet I'd be able to see the veins in her wrists vividly due to its translucency. Don't get me wrong, it was beautiful, but it made her look so fragile. She had a light trail of freckles over her nose and along her curved cheekbones. She was wearing her long hair down loose and it cascaded over her shoulders, providing a curtain for her to hide behind. It would block out everything going on or being said around her.

The girl was pretty, there was no doubt about it. How I hadn't noticed it until now was beyond me. I figured it had something to do with actually paying attention to her, rather than noticing her because of a dramatic showdown was taking place in the hallway. In society, those who look better get treated better. No matter how much I dislike this concept, it's sadly true. It left me reeling, unable to comprehend why someone who looked the way she did—innocent, vulnerable, beautiful—was being targeted so extremely. Whatever the reason, I was suddenly blisteringly aware that she most certainly didn't deserve it.

"I'm fine, too," I told her, answering her question from before. "You have lovely eyes."

Isabella frowned at me, probably just as confused as I felt.

I shook my head at both of us, a smile making its way onto my face, before continuing my trek to Banger's classroom without another word.

* * *

When I finally got home, I went in search of my father to tell him about the advanced Biology move. He'll love it, considering he's the so-called best doctor in town. I naturally assumed he would be in his office on the second floor so that's where I went. Without thinking, I entered the room abruptly, the door smacking against the wall behind it.

I cringed, muttering, "Oops."

"Are you alright?" he asked, instantly alarmed.

"Yeah... I'm fine."

"How many times have I told you to knock before you open a closed door?" He gave me a flat look.

"I just wanted to tell you something, if you have a minute." I frowned, noticing that he looked rather preoccupied with some papers on his desk. "What are you doing?"

"I have a few new patients because of Kate's departure. However, I'm completely stumped by one in particular. I'm just looking over her files just now but I've never encountered such a lack of information." He chuckled. "Five different health professionals have signed this, meaning they've all met with her and assessed her. Yet, it's as if none of them could figure her out. I'm intrigued."

"Don't you usually have, like, a folder full of information on each patient?" I asked, giving the sheet of paper in his hand an extraordinarily curious glance.

"Usually."

"Mysterious," I said quietly, knowing better than to ask who the patient was.

"It certainly is." He scanned the page once more before he spoke again, "What was it you wanted to tell me?"

"I'm starting an advanced Biology class on Monday."

"That's great," he said, grinning. "I've always said you're going to be like me."

"Thanks, dad."

He went back to that piece of paper again, and his eyebrows furrowed in confusion. It seemed to really be stressing him out but it was strictly confidential, so there was nothing I could do. Instead, my eyes landed on an old painting hanging on the wall to my right. It was one I'd never noticed before in my life and the traditionally dressed humans on the canvas had me wondering. It looked Italian, although I couldn't be sure. It was my father who was obsessed with antiques, definitely not me.

"Edward?" I looked back to him, letting him know he had my attention. "Is there anyone at school who... acts _weirdly_?"

"Dad, there are a lot of people at school who act weirdly."

"That's likely to be true but does anyone stand out to you in particular? I mean, you know everyone, right?"

"I know who most people are but I can't say I know them all personally," I told him honestly, shrugging nonchalantly.

"Alright, uh..." He closed his eyes, rubbing his temples roughly. "Nevermind."

"Okay."

 _What the hell was that all about?  
_  
I turned to walk out of the room, deciding that was a good conversation ender, and made my way down to the kitchen for some food. My plans were interrupted by an angry Alice, storming up the stairs towards me.

"You're a horrible, cruel and disrespectful slug, Rosalie!" she called over her shoulder.

"What's going on?" I asked her, mildly concerned.

"I don't know, Edward _,_ what _is_ going on?" she asked me wryly, laughing psychotically. "You better not be treating people the way Riley does, or even the way Rose did today. If you are, you and I are going to have a serious problem."

"What did she do now?"

"She said something to Tanya in English. Of course, because Tanya is Tanya, the whole room knew what it was within about three minutes and everyone was laughing at Bella."

"Bella?"

"Bella Swan."

"Isabella?" I questioned, coming to the silent conclusion that no one in our school was called Bella.

"Jesus Christ, Edward! I call her Bella. She's in a few of my classes."

"Oh," I mumbled lamely.

"I don't even know why I'm telling _you_ this," she whined before pushing passed me and leaping up the stairs, unexpectedly graceful considering her anger.

"What on earth is going on in this house?" my mom shouted from the rough direction of the kitchen.

"I wish I knew," I whispered, shaking my head.


	4. High School

"High School was great when it ended."  
Jennifer Stone

* * *

 **4\. High School _  
_**

 ** **(Edward's POV)****

Every once in a while you'll be lucky enough to come across a teacher who makes you appreciate being able to attend school. Miss Brown truly is one of a kind in the teaching world, and I actually found myself feeling genuinely distraught at having to leave. It was one of the downsides in moving to Banger's class on Monday. However, she kindly offered her help should I ever need it in the future and I was thankful for that.

Emmett was not impressed by my sullen mood. "Crack a smile, Edward."

"How about I crack your skull instead?" I offered, sighing when the cafeteria doors came into view.

"I'd love to see you try," he said, cocky as ever. I'd love to see me try as well; I'd probably shatter every bone in my arm.

I rolled my eyes. "I'd need a sledgehammer to even put a dent in—"

"Hey, I just remembered something," he interrupted, sending me a sideways glance. "So, I was thinking about that girl who walked into Riley's locker..."

"Bella?" I asked, the nickname Alice had used sticking with me.

"Uh, yeah, her," he muttered, frowning. "She has really pretty eyes."

I froze in the middle of the hallway, finally realising where he was going with this.

"How'd you know about that?"

"Alice and I happened to be on the second floor when we heard a voice that sounded a lot like yours on the stairway," he said, stopping a few feet away from where I had. "We're professional eavesdroppers. Did you bump into her or what?"

"Something like that," I replied, shrugging at the memory. "She _does_ have nice eyes."

"I'm sure." He laughed, patting me on the shoulder. "Have you seen her since then?"

"Um, now that I think about it, no I haven't seen her at all," I said, pursing my lips thoughtfully.

"She's probably avoiding you and your lack of muscle," he joked, dragging me towards the cafeteria. "Dad actually asked Alice about her on Wednesday, I forgot to mention it to you."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, he seemed like he was digging for info."

"You don't think..." I raised my eyebrows in silent question.

"She could be," he replied, nodding. "Although, dad tends to deal with more _troubled_ patients so I've heard. I doubt he'd be taking her on."

"I don't know," I muttered, throwing open one of the doors. "You've heard the stories, Emmett. Are they true?"

"I don't doubt the deaths," he said bluntly, shuddering. "The _how_ is the part the town will never know for sure," he added, jerking his head towards the room full of students.

We trekked through no man's land, responding to the occasional _sup_ with the head-nod that every guy does at least once in his lifetime. It comes naturally, it's almost instinct, and I have to stop myself from cringing every time. It truly was like walking through a minefield in this place; one wrong move and the whole room would explode. I guess that's just what high school is like. Similar to a real war zone, the best bet is to keep your head down.

Our usual table was pretty much right in the centre of the cafeteria, an occurrence that ended up being the beginning of a string of cliches. The seats there were always filled by my siblings and I, the way we preferred. The tables around us, however, consisted solely of bleached hair, six-packs and good old Riley Biers in his natural habitat. Even thinking his name agitated me, partially because of the scene he caused in the hallway with Bella the other day. I already had some justified hatred towards him and it had only been enhanced because of the way he spoke to her. It wasn't my place to feel defensive, yet it was something I found myself unable to control. Nonetheless, looking at him now, I could picture him lounging beside Satan in the pits of hell.

I lowered myself into a chair between my brothers and as if he heard my thoughts, Riley's fire-y gaze met mine. I didn't look away because I wasn't a coward. Not making eye contact was a sure sign of fear and I certainly wasn't afraid; not of that asshole. The way he raised a single brow made me blisteringly aware that my face was probably as fierce as my thoughts. I had no idea what it was that angered me about the expression he wore. Perhaps it was his smugness, or maybe the challenging look he was now giving me.

 _Fucking try it_ , I thought.

"Edward," Alice whined impatiently, snapping her fingers in front of my face.

At that, I looked away from him. "What?"

"I asked you a question," she said, huffing dramatically. "Jasper and Emmett both said no, but I know you love me more than them, so can I please join your _guys_ night tonight?"

"Uh, well, you see—"

"Please?" She pouted across the table, making me feel instantly guilty.

"Don't do this to me," I said, looking away from her face and right at Emmett, who was warning me with his eyes not to concede. There was no winning in this situation.

"You're my favourite brother," she said, her pout turning into a knowing grin. "You're the nice one, you don't break my bones like Emmett does."

"Eh, that happened _one_ time!" he defended, folding his arms over his broad chest.

"Emmett, you gave me a vertebral fracture," she deadpanned, sending him a glare. "Do you even comprehend how bad that could have been?"

"Well, yeah," he admitted, pursing his lips. "Still, though, it's in the past."

Alice rolled her eyes, looking back to me. "Can I? Can I? Can I? Can I? Can I? C—"

"Fine!"

"You're a fucking traitor, Edward," Emmett muttered, shoving my shoulder so hard I nearly went straight off the other side of my chair. "You're supposed to be one of the guys, you know? It's like an unspoken r—"

"Edward, why the hell is Riley staring at you like he's about to backhand you across the room?" Rosalie asked, finally joining us at the table. "Sorry I took so long, I was talking to Tanya."

"I don't know," I mumbled, absentmindedly whipping out my cell to see a missed call from our dad. "Why are you still involved with her?"

"I could ask you the same thing," she fired back, raising her eyebrows.

"Excuse me?"

" _Edward and I aren't together yet_ ," she said, a perfect imitation of Tanya's irritating, ear-piercing voice. " _But we will be soon. I can just tell_."

Emmett snorted, reaching up to touch my cheek. "Is it love?"

"Shut up, idiot," I snapped, swatting his hand away. "I can't stand the girl."

"Do you actually even talk to her?" Rosalie asked, snickering.

"Chivalry makes it impossible to ignore her," I said, letting my head fall to my hands. "I don't speak to her more than courtesy absolutely demands."

"I honestly aspire to be that much of a gentleman," Jasper said, speaking up for the first time. "I don't have the patience for it."

"Jasper, you're literally the most patient person I've ever met," I argued.

"He kind of has to be, especially with Alice as a girlfriend," Emmett said, laughing at himself before anyone else had a chance.

"Emmett, people can't sit in the same room as you for more than five minutes because you're so loud and irritating so I don't know why you're being so smug," Rosalie muttered, instantly on the defensive. Of course, the girls always stick together. It's why us guys tend to back down from an argument almost as soon as it begins.

"I need to call dad back, I'll be back in a minute."

I left them then, heading out to the hallway in hope that I could find some quiet. As I exited, I felt Riley's stare burning into the back of my head. I'd unintentionally made an enemy. Sure, I'd had a couple of unpleasant encounters with him but it was never anything that resulted in conflict. The way we were trying to murder each other telepathically made me fear that another explosion of drama was in the near future at Forks High School.

Luckily for me, the hallway was in fact deserted.

My dad answered on the second ring. "Edward?"

 _Who else would it be?  
_  
"Yeah, dad, it's me."

"I need a favour, son. I'm asking you because I know you won't complain."

I should have known. It's quite rare that my parents call us for anything other than when they need something. I suppose it's perfectly understandable. Nine times out of ten, the only reason _we_ call _them_ is because we want something. What's a small favour in comparison to giving life to three kids, and offering two more a loving home?

"What's up?"

"Remember when you came into my office to tell me you were moving class?" he asked, his voice strained. He was clearly stressed about something. "I was reading a sheet of paper..."

"Oh, yeah, the mysterious patient."

"That's the one," he confirmed. "I'm meeting her this afternoon but I've left that document at home and—"

"You want me to bring it to you after school."

"Please."

"It's Friday anyway," I said, shrugging even though he couldn't see me.

"Any chance you can get it here before half three?"

"I have a free period at the end of the day so that's fine. I'll see you then."

"Bye, kid."

He was gone before I could return the goodbye. Working twelve hour shifts, by day or by night, means he's absent from our lives fairly often. We'd often lived in small towns, the kind of places a doctor like my father was cherished. Forks was no different, and he was needed here. As much as he inspires me, and as much as I want to be like him, his selflessness has it's downfalls. What he sacrifices to take care of others is precious family time. I'd like to think that when I have my own family I'd be able to create a healthy balance between them and work.

I didn't realise someone was standing beside me until I turned to leave and almost walked straight into him.

"Riley," I said, voice hard.

"Do you have a problem with me, Cullen?"

"Not at all," I assured him, smiling wryly.

"Sure about that?"

I didn't like the way he was standing there, all high and mighty. It just pissed me off even more. Something in my expression made him straighten up, as if he was trying to make himself look threatening. I fought the urge to roll my eyes.

"I'm not sure about anything," I replied curtly. "Since you followed me out here, it seems that you're the one with a problem... discounting your need for anger management."

This triggered him. "What the fuck did you just say?"

"You heard me," I said, shrugging. "It wouldn't look good on your record to be arrested for hitting a girl."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Are you an asshole because you're a coward? Or, are you an asshole because you think it makes you better than everyone else? I'm failing to see."

I knew he would snap eventually because I'd definitely been pushing my luck. However, I didn't think he would take a swing so quickly. How little it took to work him up. Thankfully, I'd been expecting it so his fist didn't get a chance to make contact with my face. I dodged him swiftly, meaning the lockers behind me took the impact. Before he could try again, I shoved him hard enough that the sound of his back hitting the lockers rattled through the entire hallway.

"Don't fuck with me, Riley."


	5. Hospital

"You may be deceived if you trust too much, but you will live in torment if you don't trust enough."  
Frank Crane

* * *

 **5\. Hospital**  
 **(Bella's POV)**

Usually a Friday afternoon is some sort of relief to me because it means I get two days of freedom before I have to face the treacherous paths of high school again. Today was different, however, because I had the joyous occasion of a hospital appointment with my new doctor; Carlisle Cullen. The anguish that thought in itself caused made me consider turning around and going straight home.

I'd been sitting outside Forks Community Hospital for I don't know how long, waiting until it was socially acceptable to go inside. Being twenty minutes early was pushing it a little bit so I figured I'd hang around until I only had ten minutes left to loiter in the waiting room. Part of me was also trying to think of reasons not to have to go out into the downpour. It's rare that we ever find a particularly nice day in Forks, but today was definitely one of the rougher ones.

There was no predicting how this appointment was going to go, I knew that. It wasn't that I couldn't guess what I was going to be asked, it was more that I didn't know how I was going to react. These days, there was no telling what was going to set me off. Sometimes it felt as though all I did was cry. Other times, I'm trying to hold myself together before I have a complete mental breakdown in the school hallway. The incident with Riley Biers was a prime example of that. I think the only thing that could have humiliated me further was if I had let myself cry in front of them all. I was proud I'd remained strong enough not to.

I sighed, knowing I had to leave the safety of my truck.

I grabbed my appointment letter from the dashboard, shoved it in my coat pocket, and darted out into the rain. I didn't even bother locking the truck, someone would have to be mentally unstable to want to steal it. I kept my head down because if I looked up I would most likely drown. I took the stairs leading up to the building two by two, praying that I wouldn't trip. I nearly ran straight into a couple of people who were jogging in the other direction but none of us stopped to apologise.

I skidded to an ungraceful stop outside the entrance because the automatic doors didn't open automatically like they were supposed to. Only in Forks. I shook my head, grumbling under my breath as I trudged back down the stairs. I headed over to the wheelchair access ramp, knowing it led to another door. This one spins around in a circle by day and by night so I knew I would get in that way.

I sighed in relief when I was under the shelter of the hospital roof. On a side note, the weather outside reflected my mood quite nicely. I'd have to try to not be icy with this new doctor; it wasn't his fault that my life was a mess. It also wasn't his fault that he was Edward Cullen's dad. Yes, I had to admit that as much as I tried I couldn't ignore the irony of the situation. It didn't really contribute to how the appointment made me feel, I knew everything discussed would stay between myself and Doctor Cullen.

"Excuse me, I have an appointment with—"

The unfamiliar receptionist didn't look up from her computer, she simply held up her index finger to silence me. I'd never encountered anything so rude, but I clamped my mouth shut anyway. I was trying not to let my face morph into a scowl like it was determined to do.

"Bella?"

 _Oh God, no. Please don't let that be who I think it is._

I reluctantly turned to the sound of his voice, finding Edward standing there looking better than should be legal for someone who had also trekked through the downpour outside. He honestly looked like he'd just been shooting a commercial for Dior. I probably looked like a drowned rat in comparison.

"Hi," I said slowly, attempting to sound calm, but my voice cracked—effectively sign-posting my anxiety.

"Are you alright?" he asked, seeming mildly concerned by my appearance.

 _Definitely not._ "Um, yes."

"You don't sound sure," he said, smiling a lop-sided smile that was so attractive I nearly imploded.

"I'm sure," I mumbled, clearing my throat.

"That's good then," he replied, even though he didn't look as if he believed me. I didn't even believe me so what chance did I have of convincing him?

I smiled awkwardly, not knowing how to reply to that.

"Oh, Edward, I thought I heard your voice," the receptionist said enthusiastically, filling the short silence. She looked up to give him a warm smile and I'm sure my mouth dropped open in shock.

"Hi Lesley," he said, offering her a polite smile.

"How can I help you?"

"I was hoping you could tell me where my dad is. I don't want to bother him if he's with a patient. I'm in no rush, you can see to Bella first," he said chivalrously, gesturing to me.

"Oh," Lesley said, turning swiftly to me. I almost grinned in triumph. "He's a gentleman, isn't he?"

I nodded meekly, primarily because I'd been put on the spot. I wasn't exactly going to say no, was I? Besides, it was seemingly true.

"Only to those who deserve it," he said, throwing me a wink.

I nearly started hyperventilating. Did he really just do that? I mean, he probably meant for it to be subtle and casual, but bloody hell it made my insides go all weird. I'd never felt so hormonal around a boy before. Mind you, that's probably because guys don't actually talk to me. Unless they're a deranged psychopath or a total bully. Lucky me, right?

"Thanks," I said, so quietly that I wasn't sure if he heard me.

His smile widened so I was left to assume he had.

"Well, Bella, was it? How can I help you?"

I felt my face go bright red when I realised I was going to have to say that I have an appointment with Doctor Cullen whilst one of his sons is standing right next to me. I swear this would only happen to me. Destiny has this sick way of making things difficult.

I hesitantly pulled out my letter, handing it over the counter to her.

"I have an appointment with Doctor Cullen at half three," I said nervously, keeping my eyes well and truly away from Edward. I didn't want to see his reaction to that.

"Would you look at that?" Lesley said, laughing at the coincidence. "I think I can kill two birds with one stone here. He's in his office just now. I'm sure Edward can show you the way seen as you're both here to see him."

"Of course," Edward said, before I could even process what Lesley the bitch had just said.

"All sorted then," she chirped, handing me back my letter.

I nodded and then wondered if she could tell I was glaring at her. She kept smiling so I guessed she was none the wiser. I couldn't help but ask myself where the hell they'd found this woman. She clearly didn't know anything about customer service. I could probably do a better job than her and I'm a train-wreck.

I looked away, accidentally making direct eye contact with Edward—who was looking at me expectantly.

Oh, yeah, I was supposed to be going with him.~

We moved forward simultaneously and I had a feeling I was the only one who was finding this whole thing uncomfortable. It didn't even seem to faze him, walking beside me in silence. I didn't attempt to make any conversation either because he looked as though he was preoccupied with his own thoughts.

The most stressful thirty seconds by far was standing in the elevator with him. There was nothing worse than awkward silence when there's only two people in the vicinity. He took us up to the second floor and along another couple of hallways before we reached an oak door with Doctor carved into it. The only thing I could think the entire time was how the hell am I going to find my way out of here? I'd never left the ground floor for any of my previous appointments.

He didn't even knock on the door, he just waltzed straight in, which nearly gave me a heart attack. I followed anyway because... conformity.

The room was bright and warm, a common tactic used in the hospital to try to make patients feel at ease. Surprisingly, there was something about the office that made it homely and this relaxed me as soon as I entered.

"Sorry, dad, I'm a little later than I thought I was going to be," Edward said, pulling a sheet of paper out from under his coat and placing it on Doctor Cullen's desk. "You can blame Emmett for that."

"I'll be sure to do that," he promised, running a hand through his blonde hair. He noticed me standing there, trying to blend in with the wall behind me, and smiled welcomingly. "Who is this?"

"This is Bella," Edward said, exchanging a knowing look with his dad. "Lesley asked me to bring her up since I was headed this way."

He nodded in understanding. "Thanks, son."

"No problem," he replied, taking that as a signal to leave. He turned to me by the door and shamelessly added, "It was nice to see you again."

Those words were what did it, I was finally reduced to a state that meant I physically could not respond to him. Nothing would come out of my mouth.

Thankfully, he left the room before I had to consider migration.

"Take a seat, if you would like," Doctor Cullen said, pointing to a comfy-looking chair across from him.

"Do you mind if I stay standing?" I asked shyly, my cheeks heating up again. "I get antsy if I sit down too long."

"Whatever you prefer," he assured me, smiling in amusement.

I pursed my lips. "So, um, I don't really want to talk... about... well, anything."

"That's okay."

"It is?"

"Yes," he said, shrugging as he sat down on the edge of his desk. "I'm not going to force you to tell me anything you don't want to."

"Thank you," I whispered, surprised by his lack of pushiness.

He laughed softly. "You can come here weekly, if that's alright, and we can talk about anything you feel like you want to talk about. Does that sound okay to you?"

"Yeah."

"You can call me Carlisle for starters," he said, grinning. "And now I need some important information from you."

"Which is?" I asked him suspiciously.

"There's a stash of ice cream in the staff kitchen and I really need to know what your favourite is so I can steal some."


	6. Thoughts

"The cadence of suffering has begun."  
Cesare Pavese

* * *

 **6\. Thoughts  
(Edward's POV)**

 _Oh, you can't here me cry._  
 _See my dreams all die_  
 _from where you're standing_  
 _on your own._  
 _It's so quiet here and I feel so cold._  
 _This house no longer feels like home._  
 _When you told me you'd leave_  
 _I felt like I couldn't breath_  
 _My aching body_  
 _fell to the floor..._

"You have shit music taste," Emmett said, throwing open my bedroom door without any warning whatsoever. "I'm convinced you're a reincarnation of some sort of 17th century dude."

I rolled my eyes. "I'd rather listen to a song with meaning than some of the rubbish the rest of the world listens to."

He turned the dial on my CD player, lowering the volume so much that he might as well have just put it off completely. I sighed. It was impossible to find any peace in this house. If Emmett wasn't here annoying me it would be Jasper, and if he wasn't here annoying me it would be Alice. I love them all, of course I do, but it's unbelievably frustrating.

"What's up with you? In all of guys night history, none of us have ever skipped out."

"I just don't feel like it," I mumbled, scrolling through Facebook absentmindedly. I wasn't really paying attention to anything on the screen.

He raised his eyebrows, eyeing me carefully. "Okay, man, I know you better than anyone. What's going on in there?" he asked, poking my temple.

"If I tell you, you can't tell anyone."

"I can keep a secret."

"Uh, no, you can't," I said, a disbelieving laugh escaping my lips.

"I can. It's just that sometimes I choose not to." He grinned, sitting down on the end of my bed. He looked at me expectantly and I sighed, unsure of how exactly to explain why I was feeling so down all of a sudden.

"Seriously, Emmett, you cannot say a word of this to anyone—not even Rosalie."

"Bros before ho—" He clamped his mouth shut. "I shouldn't finish that sentence."

"Definitely not," I said, unable to hold in a short laugh. "Okay..."

"Before you say anything, I just want to make sure you didn't get someone pregnant because I'm really the worst person you could tell that to."

"Are you fucking kidding me?" I snapped, throwing my head back.

"Oh yeah, I forgot, you literally don't do girls." He winked, laughing at his own joke. "I'm listening now, I promise. Judging by your face this is obviously serious."

"It's about Bella Swan," I said, putting my phone down on the bedside table. "She was at the hospital."

"Wait, what?"

"We were both at reception and I let her go before me so I sort of accidentally overheard why she was there..."

"We were right, weren't we?" he guessed, face-palming. "She is one of dad's patients."

"Spot on," I said. "Lesley asked me to take her to dad's office because we were both there to see him. You know how dad asked me to get a file for him?" He nodded. "Well, I have a funny feeling I was carrying Bella's medical history in my hand."

"Oh shit," he whispered, blowing out a puff of air. "Did she say much?"

"Not really," I admitted, wondering what her strange behaviour was all about. "There's a catch: her file has one sheet of paper—that's it. It's almost as if they couldn't get any info out of her. Either that or they just couldn't figure her out."

"I bet you any amount of money dad will be able to help her more than anyone else ever has," he said, and it almost sounded as if he was trying to reassure me even though neither of us really knew why.

"This whole thing just bothers me," I said, sitting up abruptly. "I mean, we see this girl who is clearly struggling with whatever the hell has happened to her and everyone in this stupid town is just oblivious. Jesus, I never even noticed her properly until I saw her with Riley. I don't understand why we're all so stupid."

"No one cares unless it's happening to them." He groaned, flopping back onto my bed. He half landed on my leg and I had to refrain from grumbling in pain.

"The only person I've ever seen make an effort to talk to the girl is Alice, and even then it's not very often. I feel kind of sorry for her."

"You're one of the only ones," I said, more aggressively than I meant to. "Besides, your girlfriend is becoming part of the problem."

"What?"

"Isn't she friends with the devil's advocate?"

He laughed. "Ugh, I'm pretty sure Tanya is trying to brainwash her into joining her and Riley's cult; little bastards. I hate the two of them." He sat up again, indicating that he definitely had ants in his pants today. "Listen, Edward, you know as well as I do what Rose is like. Popularity is important to her but she's not an idiot. She knows the limit."

"I hope that's true."

He ignored me. "I'm still trying to understand how guys night turned into a therapy session but I do have an idea."

"What's your idea?"

"Why don't we try to make friends with Bella? Maybe we could make an effort to sit with her at lunch, or talk to her between classes this week. Maybe Alice can invite her over next weekend to do some girly shit or something."

"That's actually not a terrible idea," I admitted, genuinely impressed. "Subtlety is key, though."

"I can be subtle."

I doubted that very much.

 **(Bella's POV)**

The downpour had lessened to a pleasant drizzle by the time I pulled up the driveway in my decrepit truck. I do enjoy the rain when it isn't drowning me. The fresh smell of nature it brings always calms me.

I grabbed my backpack and ungracefully slid out of the truck, landing with a mighty splash. We really do need to do something about this driveway; it becomes a pond when it's a stormy day because of the dip in the middle.

My shoes squeaked all the way to the front door. I spied my aunt's car parked out on the street so I knew she was home, which meant I didn't expect the door to be locked. My hand slipped right off of the handle. With a huff, I fished my keys out of my backpack to open the door.

"Auntie Sue?" I called hesitantly, noting that the house looked and sounded deserted.

She didn't answer and I became hyper-alert immediately. She must be home if her car is outside; she'd have to be mad to walk anywhere in this weather.

I checked the living room first in case she'd fallen asleep on the sofa but she wasn't there. The kitchen was empty so I trudged upstairs to check her room. My anxiety spiked when I reached the door; part of me was too scared to open it. Being surrounded by death your whole life does things to your head. I couldn't help but worry that something had happened to her.

I took a deep breath, knocked three times, and then bravely threw the door open.

She wasn't there.

I sighed in relief, glancing into my room as well. I didn't actually think she'd be in there but I thought I'd make sure. The bathroom door was wide open so I had no luck there either.

I pursed my lips, slipping my cell phone out of my pocket to check for missed calls or texts. The screen was just the same as always; blank. I had her on speed dial so I held in number one on the keypad and waited patiently for her to answer.

"Bella, where are you?" she asked me, sounding utterly frantic. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine! I just got back from the hospital. Why is your car outside, auntie Sue?"

"I've had a nightmare of a day. I'll explain everything to you when you get to the station."

"What?" I asked, eyes widening in alarm.

"I need you to come down to the police station. Don't talk to anyone, don't stop anywhere, just come straight here."

"You're scaring me," I said, so quietly that it was almost a whisper.

"Don't be afraid," she replied, voice calm and even.

"Okay." I slammed the front door shut, focusing only on my trusty truck. "I'm on my way."

 **(Third Person POV)**

He was lying on the damp forest floor, curled into a tight ball. It was the only time in all this mess that he'd ever looked vulnerable, almost child-like. His long, blonde hair was pulled back, revealing a worn face as pale as white. The leather jacket he wore didn't offer him much protection from the cold night ahead. He was unaware of the danger he was in as the wind whipped his wet clothes. He could die out here, yet he didn't seem to care. He had only one thing on his mind.

"Give it time," he whispered to no one.

He hadn't been detected for a long time, though he feared his recent actions might have brought him under the radar again. It was his own fault, he knew that. It was just too tempting to toy with her. He survives on the knowledge that she is terrified. This is what spurs him on.

He released a ferocious cry, tortured by his memories and future plans.

He wouldn't stay under the trees, just until his acquaintance returns to him. It was too risky for him to stay in the same place too long. Besides, he has things to do, people to kill, and places to see.

"Death is easy," he hissed, whimpering quietly. "Death is easy."

 _You caused my heart to bleed_  
 _and you still owe me a reason_  
 _'Cause I can't figure out why_  
 _why I'm alone and freezing..._

 **A/N** The song used in this chapter is 'So Cold' by Ben Cocks. Some parts of this piece just remind me so much of how Bella is feeling in this story, even though the song itself has an entirely different meaning.


	7. Unexpected

**7\. Unexpected**  
 **(Bella's POV)**

People always tell you to expect the unexpected, as if you can somehow prepare yourself for it. I don't think any amount of expectation could prime you for the unknown. This opinion comes from personal experience, as I'm sure you've gathered. Therefore, when I entered the Police station I truly hadn't prepared myself for the unexpected sight of Edward... and his entire family.

I almost laughed because it was such a twist in this tale.

The shock prevented any real amusement and I literally froze in the doorway, mentally running through a list of possibilities. They could be here for a completely unrelated reason, though that seemed unlikely because the crime rate in Forks wasn't exactly high. So, how could their presence here ever be connected to my presence here?

Carlisle sent me a little wave from across the room, where every single one of them was staring over at me. Because I'm awkward, and severely on edge, I simply nodded back at him a few times like one of those bobble-heads.

"Bella, over here," my auntie Sue called, effectively dragging my eyes to the left.

It was only then that I noticed the building had actually descended into chaos. There were officers rushing around all over the place, most of whom I didn't recognise. It must be something serious then, I concluded, seen as they had called in men and women from other stations.

"What's going on?" I asked, approaching her and the officer she was standing with.

"Ma'am," he greeted me, offering a sympathetic smile that had me concerned. "I'll leave you two alone for a minute."

"Thanks, Chris," auntie Sue said, so quietly it was almost a whisper. It was the first time I'd looked at her since I arrived, I mean really looked at her, and she didn't look at all thrilled.

I waited patiently for her to start talking, for I knew she was already aware that I needed some sort of explanation. I could feel the Cullens' eyes burning into the back of my head but I resisted the urge to turn around. I felt rather ill and I was sure that their eyes would only make me feel worse.

"Please don't panic," she whispered, staring me dead in the face. "I need you to be very brave for me, Bella."

"Just tell me," I practically begged, unable to stand the suspense.

"The authorities have reason to believe he has come back."

The fear that rippled through me upon hearing those words would have been strong enough to shake the earth. I didn't need clarification, I knew exactly who she meant, and I don't think anything could have been worse. It was yet another unexpected thing that there was no chance in hell I could have prepared for.  
My brain became disconnected from my mouth for a few thorny moments and I could not get a single word out. All I did, and I must have looked insane, was stare blankly, unmoving, at my auntie.

What were you supposed to say, anyway, when your childhood nightmare had just come to life for the second time? This was different, however, because there was a sense of inevitability. He didn't succeed in getting rid of me the first time and so this time, if he were to get the opportunity, he would.

"How do they know?" I finally asked, trying very damn hard not to hyperventilate.

"A man matching his description approached someone outside your school."

"He was—" I swallowed hard, "—at the school?"

"There's no need to be afr—"

"Who saw him? Who did he speak to?" I demanded, too panic-stricken to mind my tone. I would apologise later.

Her eyes moved to the side, to look over my right shoulder, and I hesitantly followed her gaze. Funnily enough, it landed right on Edward. Again, the hysteria almost made me laugh. I knew that this was strictly coincidental but it seriously couldn't get more ironic.

Perhaps it was the adrenaline, or possibly the frustration, that had me moving in the direction he was sitting. He looked oddly calm considering a kidnapper had approached him, though it was unlikely that he knew the details of my past. I had to consider the possibility that something was said that prompted Edward to go to the Police.

"Please tell me what he said," I whispered and, on their own accord, my eyes filled up with tears. My vision was blurred but I could still see Edward crystal clear.

He sighed, leaning forward in his seat. "I don't know how to say it."

"Just say it as it is," I whispered, breathless. I felt as if I was seconds away from collapsing. "Just say what he said."

He frowned, meeting my gaze again. I could see the reluctance in his eyes and I just knew that what was about to leave his mouth was something horrifying. In that second, I didn't care that I was face to face with Edward Cullen and that said person was about to see my life fall apart once again.  
"He offered me money to kill you," he said, eyes never leaving mine.

"Which is fucking ridiculous, obviously," Jasper assured me. He was perhaps the one member of their family I had never encountered in person.

"What did he look like?" I asked, barely acknowledging any attempts to downplay the situation.

"Uh... Tall, very pale, piercing blue eyes... Long, blonde hair..."

"Does that sound like the guy you described to us, ma'am? All those years ago?"

I turned in search of the person who spoke, to come face to face with the man my auntie had been speaking to when I entered the station. I think she mentioned the name Chris. He was completely unfamiliar to me and, stubborn as I am, I didn't really want to answer him. However, I knew that he was only there to help and not answering would in actual fact be even more detrimental to the situation.

"It sounds exactly like him," I mumbled, trying my hardest to blink back the tears.

"We're conducting a search of the town at the moment," he explained, backing away from us all. "As of yet, we haven't found any traces of James."

I cringed so far into myself at the sound of his name, that I might as well have just disappeared into nothingness. I only allow myself to think his name on special occasions—as in, those evenings where I'm so close to self-destruction that he would have been better off killing me a long time ago.

"He's been on the run since I was 13," I snapped, unable to hold back the tears any longer, "and you're standing there telling me he was two minutes from this building and you have nothing?"

"Well, we have been—"

"Where the hell have you been looking? 4 years, 4 years, I've had to worry about him coming back for me and... now he has! You don't know, none of you know, what it was like! I have scars all over my arms because of what he did to me..." I shoved my hair out of my face, trying to catch my breath. "I want to go home."

"Sweetheart," auntie Sue said, slowly making her way over to us. She sort of looked like she didn't know what to do and, to be perfectly honest, if I was her looking at me right now, I wouldn't have a clue what to do either. "You can't go home."

"What do you mean?"

"He knows there will be days, sometimes nights, when you are alone there," she explained, resting her hand gently on my shoulder. "You need to be around people."

"We're trying," the Chris guy said, tucking some papers under his arm. "Protecting you is our main priority so you have two options ma'am: one, you'll be placed under witness protection."

"I'm not leaving town," I said, swiping at all the traitor tears.

He shrugged. "Option two it is. You'll be staying with Doctor Cullen and his family, temporarily."

The idea was absurd and I very nearly screamed the words at him. Why is it that I, a teenager, feel as though I could be doing his job a lot better than him?

"You have to know that you might have just said the most stupid thing I've ever heard a human being say," I said, giving him a look I hoped was incredulous enough to make him doubt himself. "I'm not putting other people in danger because of me."

"James isn't out to get anyone else," he muttered, heading towards a doorway on the North side of the building. "Your aunt will be safe at home; he'll figure out soon enough that you're not living there. The other wonderful part of it all is that he ain't going to come near you when there are seven other people with you. That'll give us time."

And he was gone.

"Bella, I know this is all a little overwhelming for you and—"

"I need some air."

And I was gone, too.


	8. Change

**8\. Change**

"Life belongs to the living, and he who lives must be prepared for changes."  
 _Johann Wolfgang von Goethe  
_

 ** **(Edward's POV)****

The poor girl looked as though she was about to collapse. I suppose if I had just heard that someone tried to strike a deal surrounding my death I'd probably feel the same. That was only a minor addition to whatever the hell she'd been subjected to already.

"There's one problem," she said when the officer reappeared. She was struggling to catch her breath. "Won't he just kill me whenever he gets the chance? I mean, he knows he's a wanted man. There's no need for him to try to cover this up; he's a goner anyway."

"He's playing a game, kid," he told her, looping his fingers around his belt. "This is what he does for fun. We've been trying to figure this asshole out since he last came around and we're no closer now than we were then. We don't know what his motives were or are, and we don't know if he has any further involvement in the tragedies that have struck your family. But there is one thing we are absolutely positive about: he is undeniably sadistic and so he is going to go about this in the sickest, most cruel way you could possibly imagine."

A shiver crawled up my spine.

What had we let ourselves in for? My father offered, without considering the possible consequences for even a second, to have Bella stay with us temporarily. I had a funny feeling he knew a lot more about her than he was letting on, being her doctor and everything, and I was sure that's what led him to offer our services. Of course, he doesn't know that we know she is a patient of his, and he didn't even consult my mom. However, that was a minor detail, because we all knew that where my father was, my mother was too.

"What now?" she asked timidly. I could see her hands shaking from here; what a shock this must be to the two of them.

 _A warm drink_ , I suggested internally. _For the shock_.

"We've spoken to Edward about what happened so..." The officer shrugged. "You'll leave with the Cullens. I'll send a couple of officers with your aunt to collect some of your belongings. They'll bring them to you later today."

He left us again, heading over to the counter to busy himself with more papers someone had just handed him. The guy looked as though he had a thousand things going through his head and my family probably wasn't one of them. The station was still buzzing with life, it had been since we arrived, and the seriousness of this whole thing hit my like a punch to the gut. The fact of the matter is that Bella's life is genuinely at risk.

At that thought, she practically dived into Sue's waiting arms.

They had to say goodbye and none of us felt it right to watch, so we simultaneously turned to one another to start a conversation.

"Scary shit," Emmett muttered, wincing when the word slipped out in front of our parents.

"It is that," my dad said, shaking his head slowly. "Listen, kids, I'm truly sorry about this. It's going to be a big change for you guys but I just couldn't do nothing. I hope you can understand."

"You shouldn't apologise, dad," Rosalie said, resting her hand gently on his shoulder. "It's the right thing to do."

"Listen to your daughter," my mom said, smiling warmly. "She's right."

"The right thing isn't always the easiest thing I suppose."

"And that's okay," I mumbled, shrugging. "Alice was going to invite her over this weekend anyway. Let's look at it as her extended stay at Villa De Cullen."

As quickly as they laughed, the humour vanished. Bella was beside us, looking down nervously, and we knew without having to ask that it was time to leave. There was nothing that would make this any easier so there wasn't much point in trying.

My mom hugged Sue on our way out which I thought was very sweet, considering the two barely knew anything about each other. I suppose it's only a natural thing to do, especially for someone as caring as my mom, and Sue really looked as though she needed it.

The automatic doors slid open and the cold air almost took the breath out of me.

I felt a little uneasy being out in the open. At least the police station was somewhat safe. It wasn't that I was afraid of _him_ , it was that I didn't want the piece of shit to even exist. I didn't need to know the story to want that more than anything. Any person who caused someone like Bella to look as horrorstruck as she did in there, did not deserve to live another second.

"You, Rosalie, and Jasper can take my car," I muttered, chucking Emmett my keys. "Alice and I will go with the others in dad's car."

He shrugged and the three of them did as I suggested without any kind of protest. Alice and I are the only two who've had any sort of brief encounter with Bella. She'd be far better having _some_ sort of familiarity than none at all.

* * *

 _Here comes goodbye_  
 _Here comes the last time_  
 _Here comes the start of every sleepless night,_  
 _The first of —_

I switched the radio station, realising too late how upsetting that song most likely was. I'd only switched it on in the first place to fill the awkward silence whilst I washed the dishes. My mom made some food when we arrived home but Bella politely refused. She's currently sitting at the counter behind me and I'm almost too afraid to say anything.

 _What could I possibly say to her?  
_  
I could ask her if she wants anything, but she'll probably just shake her head for the umpteenth time, and that conversation will die before it has even started. The trouble is that I don't know anything about her, aside from the fact that some psychopath is out to get her, and that's not really the most pleasant opener. I suddenly wishes I wasn't the only one in here with her; one of the others would be better at this.

Perhaps my overthinking it won't help the situation. The last thing any of us wanted was to make her uncomfortable, and she's probably sitting there wondering what the hell is wrong with me. I didn't want her worrying that—

"You've been rinsing the same plate for the last 42 seconds," she said quietly.

That plate she mentioned clattered into the sink, sending water splashing in all directions. I almost laughed at the fact she had actually managed to startle me with her timid little voice. It had been easier to know what to do earlier when the adrenaline was still coursing through me.

"I was thinking."

"What were you thinking about?"

"I was trying to figure out what to say," I admitted, laughing softly.

She laughed, too. "Sometimes it's better not to say anything."

"Sometimes," I agreed, drying my hands on the towel hanging over the rail. "However, I don't believe now is one of those times."

She hummed, and I finally turned to face her. How strange it is to go from bumping into one another a few times, to living in the same house. I suppose the circumstances didn't allow for any other alternative, especially if she didn't want to be place under protection. I suppose, in some way, she was still getting that. Our house will be under constant surveillance. Until anyone says otherwise, we've just got to continue as normal.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Of course," I said, sitting down across from her. "Anything."

She sighed. "Was he frightening?"

I should have known she would want to question me further about my encounter with him now that the initial shock had apparently worn off. She simply looked tired now, as opposed to completely hysterical.

"He was... _intense_ ," I said, trying to be as honest as possible without alarming her. "I saw him before he approached me. He just looks like the kind of stranger you really don't want to talk to so I tried to pretend I hadn't been staring at him. But he caught my eye and... there he was, asking me to..." I shook my head, unable to fathom it.

"He didn't threaten you, did he?"

I felt a frown tugging at my brows. "No. He didn't even let me respond, he just told me he would know if I'd done it."

"I don't understand why he would ask someone else to do it if he's so set on playing this stupid little game."

"If anything, it's probably part of the _game_ ," I told her, watching as she tried to understand what I meant. "He's getting inside peoples' heads, Bella. I felt like shoving him in front of a bus as soon as the words left his mouth, if that makes you feel any better."

"Maybe a little."

At that, the doorbell sounded, and Bella automatically jumped up. She knew who it would be, as did we all, and everything suddenly felt very official. Bringing her things into our home made her a part of it. Oh, how fast life can change.

"Um," she mumbled, halting after she'd taken only a few steps. "Your house is like a maze. I can't remember how to get to the front door."

 ** **A/N**** : The song used in this chapter is 'Here Comes Goodbye' by Rascal Flatts.


End file.
